Era Saga
, the , is the main protagonist of Kamen Rider Nio. The individualistic reincarnation of Saga no Mamoru referred to as the , he eventually becomes in order to protect humanity from the Order of Rakshasa. History Early Life and Running Away Becoming a Kamen Rider Movies and other events Interlude: Dear My Hero Kamen Rider Nio Hokora Epilogue: The Horizon in Reach Personality Originally a happy and carefree child, Era's worldview changed drastically... In the present day, Era is an extremely quirky and eccentric young man. He has taken the idea of being a 'rebel' to the absolute extreme, wearing intentionally modern and unfitting clothing of various clashing colors to distinguish himself from his family's more traditional style. Furthermore, his once black hair has been dyed various shades of green, red, blue, and yellow. He at times also dons contacts to move the shade from his eyes. He claims to have a tattoo on his body, which is later confirmed (and is, ironically, in the image of Fudō Myō-ō). In keeping with this desire to rebel against anything and everything, he refuses to do anything the way another has told him to do it, even if the path he chooses himself is harder and/or less convenient. This tendency to pettishly defy authority extends to all aspects of his life, from eating habits to the way he sleeps; it becomes both the main gag and feature of his character. Era has a habit of striking odd poses at random times and seems a bit melodramatic, narrating his debut to himself and no one else while dramatically grasping his chest. He becomes quite flustered when called out or interrupted during one of these episodes, frantically returning to business and pretending that nothing has happened. In order to enforce his way of life for him and others, he constantly uses the phrase "my blood has its own beat". Even when willingly taking the Toriiver and becoming Nio for the first time, he still insists that he's doing it for his own reasons rather than because of any sense of duty, returning it immediately in order to prevent being "tempted" again. However, underneath this facade lies a genuinely kind and caring demeanor. He hates to see others in pain, deciding to fight as Nio in order to prevent just that, and goes out of his way to correct or compliment those who have been attacked by Asura. While initially quite apathetic about fighting the creatures (especially if he encounters them before they have actually struck), he becomes quite vigorous when they threaten ordinary people. While he claims that he only wants to defeat the Order of Rakshasa quickly in order to return to his regular life, his true motivation is of a different sort entirely: fear. So that ordinary people, the kind who pass him by on the street and occasionally spare him a glance, don't have to live with the same fear he has, Era decides to transform and fight if necessary. He refuses to estimate rivals or enemies, simply deciding to fight them as they are without anything given out or held back, and he abhors mercy killing. He remains incredibly friendly with people he meets for the first time and appears to have no sense of personal space, freely slapping them on the back or putting his arm around their shoulders with absolutely no regard for their comfort. A small smile is noted to always be on his face when nothing especially serious is going on, though depending on the scenario it can be sarcastic or mocking. Despite his theatrics, he has a quite humble side, willingly accepting his weakness and need to become stronger after first attempting to enter Aokigahara. He also expresses genuine guilt over what his more extravagant acts of rebellion have caused, breaking down upon learning what effect his sudden leaving and long absence have had on his mother. For, while he can be quite abrasive, at his core Era doesn't truly desire to hurt anyone. Incidents such as this, as well as learning the truth of his father's motivations, have lead to him seemingly toning down his more rebellious acts (though he occasionally reverts for comedy's sake). Era initially sports a rather dirty and unorthodox fighting style that mixes street fighting elements and parkour with the more traditional martial arts of his family. As such, he is no stranger to using underhanded tactics and tricks in order to turn the tide of battle in his favor at first, as well as using the environment to his full advantage. His later battles, as well as his accompanying re-mastery of the fighting style, lead to these elements become less emphasized as he becomes a more honorable fighter. Notably, even in his original style he carried a sort of respect for his opponents, mentioning that with just his own skills he couldn't beat the Asura and therefore needed to result to less savory tactics. At times he has also been shown to rant mid-battle, disparaging his opponent furiously as he fights against them, no matter his own situation in the fight. He has a tendency to inject English his sentences, especially for important/impactful words (for finishers and catchphrases, mostly), likely another symptom of his rebel complex. Relationships Friends/Allies *'Kuroko Hanaori'- *'Reki Tatemae'- Family and Other Selves *'Date Saga'- *'Io Saga'- *'Saga no Mamoru'- Enemies Other Powers and Abilities *'Parkour'- Learned from his years on the run, Era is a decently-capable freerunner. The use of his Rider form further enhances this ability, as he proves capable of running up walls, scaling buildings in short periods of time, and crossing various cities on foot with ease due to taking advantage of the rooftops. *'Street fighting'- Era is an accomplished street fighter, which he initially incorporates into his fighting style. He picked it up during his years on the run and his lack of shame in combat (or in general) allows him to fight without reserve. Though he is no match for an Asura as he is at the start of the series, he is capable of fending off their weaker members for brief periods of time before being thrown off. *'Indomitable Will'- While a double-edged sword (as detailed below), Era possesses an incredible sense of self and will that enables him to resist even the strongest pressures without flinching. This includes easily rejecting offers that appear beneficial on the surface, as well as resisting attempts at seduction or temptation by enemies and allies alike. This also aids him in battle, with Era routinely fighting through injuries or pain that would cripple an ordinary person. *'Perceptiveness'- Era has repeatedly shown himself capable of picking up nuances that others might miss; this has allowed him to intercept surprise attacks or avoid being trapped by the enemy's words or logic (for the most part). While it is often overshadowed by his more prominent rebel complex (and his numerous other flaws, which combine to prevent it from working as well as it should), when it does show its face it has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. He is notably good at telling when people are lying or hiding things from him, though he is not as skilled at noting when it is for a good reason, leading to him making a few blunders. *'Unpredictability'- As both a Rider and a normal combatant, Era has consistently come up with unorthodox or otherwise unexpected strategies to bamboozle opponents. He also employs this when coming up with names for his forms or when faced with an impossible choice, preferring to come up with his own, unique option. *'Strategic Acumen'- While Doppo Abe has proven in the long run to be a better strategist, Era shows promise in developing tactics that can give him an edge in a fight. His tendancy to ignore any sense of shame also allows him to easily run away from fights that he has no chance of winning, though he can be talked out of this on occasion. *'Motorcycle Skills'- Taught by Reki Tatemae, he has proven to a prodigious cyclist on a level not seen since Yusuke Godai or Shouichi Tsugami. His Mashinceptor, heavily-tuned to suit his riding tastes, is therefore present with him at almost every battle as Nio, and he shows a clear enjoyment of Rider Break attacks. His affinity for his motorcycle sometimes extends to the comedically impossible, with Era somehow warping to the front of traffic lines or making time that should not ordinarily be doable. According to Reki, when he is not currently employed he enjoys riding his bike out to the fields to practice; he apparently knows a wide variety of tricks that make their appearance when he is feeling particularly happy. Era's skill is such that Kuroko can ride behind him with her back facing his, utterly without fear of a crash or other mishap. *'Fourth Wall Interaction'- On occasion, Era has shown the ability to interact with the fourth wall or otherwise address the audience directly. In the Hyper Battle DVD, he proved capable of stopping everything around him in order to get a moment alone (before Kuroko broke it). Weaknesses *'Rebel complex'- His most defining feature and glaring negative trait, Era is staunchly against anything related to his past or that he deems too mainstream. His refusal to allow others any control over him extends to the point that he is willing to bring harm to himself or place himself in a completely disadvantageous situation so long as he and he alone makes the decision. Those that have a grasp of his personality, therefore, can easily manipulate him into doing what they want, igniting his unending rage if he cottons on. This also makes it difficult for Era to truly commit to anything, as well as proving a roadblock towards him becoming a better person. His determination to fully control his own life is such that he willingly used the Forbidden Modifires (despite knowing of their potential side effects) just because he was told not to (and perhaps hoping that they would undo the more noble personality traits he had developed up until that point). It also makes it hard for Era to truly connect with other people, and he can quickly and easily earn the dislike of strangers. *'Self-worth'- Era appears to truly regret, at least on some level, his running away from home, especially after learning the effect it had on his parents (especially his mother). The abandonment of his heritage fills at least a part of him with guilt, and as a result, he does not place much faith in himself. In his worst moments, he views himself as a coward and a useless person, and if pushed far enough down this path he can become utterly incapacitated out of remorse. *'Cooking'- Era possesses absolutely no culinary skills, to an almost ridiculous extent; even when placing instant ramen in the microwave, it will inexplicably sour or the device itself will spark and explode. The food he tries to create typically gives off a sinister aura, with a noxious smoke rising from it. *'Fashion Sense'- In part because of his rebel complex, Era often intentionally chooses clothes that don't match or otherwise clash. He still staunchly defends his choices in attire, however, believing them to be among his greatest form of self-expression. Often, he tries to force his style on others, insisting on choosing their outfits for them; the results are almost universally bad. Former Weaknesses *'Forbidden Modifires'- Use of the Forbidden Modifires not only brings out the user's worst personality traits in exchange for power, but also begins to slowly poison the user and feed off their life force. The In Modifire, especially, proved capable of incapacitating Era after only one use, and prolonged use was stated to be definitely fatal. After achieving Yoh-kuma, however, they have been purified and their strength can now be accessed without fear of backlash. Kuma Kamen Rider Nio transforms through the use of the Toriiver, his transformation belt given as a gift by the gods. Each form is accessed through divine devices known as Modifires, paint brush-like objects which are placed on a specific section of the belt's Nuki Gallery before being pushed along the Form Print. The belt manifests an enlarged projection that contains both the form's symbol, a silhouette of the completed form around it, and the : an 'arena' around him made in the style of traditional Japanese ukiyo-e artwork. All of these elements coalesce and interact with Nio to take on his current form. Nio's various forms are known as . Each is based on a specific character archetype in aragoto-style kabuki, though as time passes more encompassing themes are used to inspire forms. Each form also bears a , which can be used as a weapon or to enhance attacks in addition to its cosmetic benefits; they bear designs evoking the particular Henshinmichi of each form. Each form also appears to have a unique 'trim' and , a collection of flame-like energy that bursts from the cavity at the top of the suit. Typically, Era activates them with the traditional cry of " . When switching between forms, however, he instead calls out " ". This call is echoed by the belt itself. By shifting the position of the Modifire on the Nuki Gallery and running it across the Form Print again, Nio can access two possible types of enhanced attack: a , which unleashes a special attack, or a that initiates a powerful finisher. The base call of indicates transformations/form changes. His theme, as Era Saga, is ''Kakusei''. Equipment Devices *Toriiver - Transformation belt **Bushin Modifire - Alternate transformation device **Toriiver Proto - Alternate transformation device *Modifires - Transformation trinkets *Overrites - Secondary transformation trinkets *Ataro - Nio's support robot *Umsuke - Nio's support robot Weapons *Plasjra - Primary weapon in standard and Succession forms. *Regalia - Secondary weapons wielded in standard, Succession, and Forbidden forms. While mighty weapons in their own right, they become truly powerful when combined with the Plasjra to form various new modes. **Trick Kama **Bakudon Escaper **Kunaisaku **Hundred Shuriken **Sai-kyo *Unknown - Based on the Imperial Regalia of Japan, a three-mode weapon exclusive to Yoh- and Aragoto-kuma. Vehicles *Mashinceptor - Rider Machine Legend Rider Devices With the Nio Rider Card, Decade would presumably transform into Kamen Rider Nio's Kongo-kuma form. - Lockseed= * : Allows the user to transform into Nio Arms, equipped with the Plasjra. The core image depicts the Toriiver while the lid backside image depicts the Kongo Modifire. Gaim/Kurokage/Bujin Gaim/Kamuro-styled Lockseed. **Transformation: ***Squash: ***Au Lait: TBA ***Sparking: TBA - Signal Bike= * - Ghost Eyecon= * : Allows Kamen Rider Ghost to transform into Nio Damashii, equipped with the Plasjra. - Rider Gashat= * - Fullbottles= * - Used solely to access Nio Form; also used with a currently-unnamed Fullbottle to access an unreleased Form. * : Used with the Comic Fullbottle to access Nio Form. * : Used with the Kannushi Fullbottle to access Nio Form. Typically paired with the Ninjya Fullbottle. - Ridewatch= : Based on Kamen Rider Nio Kongo-kuma, this Ridewatch provides access to the Nio Armor used by Kamen Rider Zi-O. }} Notes *In earlier drafts of Nio, Era was intended to be a much more straightforward 'heir'-type character. His personality was drastically changed in order to make him stand out and a more entertaining character to write and play. Behind the Scenes Portrayal Era is played by . When Kamen Rider Nio, his suit actor is typically , who previously portrayed Kamen Rider Genm, as well as briefly Ex-Aid and Build. Appearances References Category:Zeon1 Category:Characters Category:Kamen Riders Category:Male Category:Heroes Category:Riders Category:Nio Riders Category:Nio Characters Category:Kamen Rider Nio